APNU places General Elections on back burner
By Abena Rockcliffe, September 13, 2014, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source - Kaieteur News
“Let us deal with one election at a time,” is what Opposition Leader, David Granger told the media yesterday when asked if his party is prepared for both Local Government and General Elections.
Despite the fact that the time is drawing near for the debate on the No-Confidence Motion which will see early General Elections, Granger made it clear that his priority and that of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) at this time is to see the holding of Local Government Election.
Opposition leader, David Granger
The Opposition Leader made this declaration yesterday at APNU’s weekly press conference held at his Office on Hadfield Street, Georgetown.
At that forum, Granger reiterated points he made to President Donald Ramotar earlier this week in a letter about depriving Guyanese the right to Local Government elections.
On Tuesday Granger wrote asking President Ramotar to announce a date for Local Government Elections to be held. Granger gave Ramotar a Monday 15th September, 2014 deadline to do this.
In his letter, Granger “reminded” the President that the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill, at its second reading in February this year, was debated and passed ‘as amended’ and that that piece of legislation directed that elections be held on or before August, 1.
The political leader also outlined that in accordance with the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, “Local Government Elections is a vital aspect of democracy.”
He told Ramotar, “Local Government Elections, last held in 1994, are a constitutional obligation and a democratic entitlement of the Guyanese people. It is not an option of the Executive branch of government.”
Ramotar responded on Thursday acknowledging receipt of the letter but asked Granger to make clear the position of the APNU since to him it seemed “ambiguous and contradictory.”
Even the AFC said it found it strange that APNU would make such a move at this time.
But Granger, in a response to what Ramotar said, yesterday told the media that he wrote slowly so that the President, if he is a slow reader, could have understood.
Granger added that he couldn’t see what about his letter was contradictory, “I simply asked him (President Ramotar) to set a date…I told him that he has to do that by Monday 15th, September. The 15th is the day before the 16th and the day after the 14th…I don’t know why he cannot understand that, my letter was written in clear English.”
Even though Granger did not say he will not support the No-Confidence Motion, he said that the APNU’s focus is on Local Government Elections.
The impending No-confidence Motion, once passed, will force President Ramotar and his Cabinet to resign. The President will also have to set a date for General Elections within three months (90 days).
Kaieteur News asked Granger whether his coalition has studied the position it will be in if Ramotar sets the dates for the two elections a month or two apart.
To this Granger responded that APNU wants to deal with one election at a time and at this point the spotlight is on Local Government Elections.
But Granger did not say whether his party is prepared for such an eventuality but admitted that the APNU didn’t predict such a move.
Also, at that press conference, Granger said that it is time President Ramotar tell the nation the truth about Local Government Elections.
“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration does not have the prerogative to deny the people their constitutional right to local democracy. The Guyanese people are being denied their right to elect their own local and municipal leaders. They are being denied their right even to know when those elections will be held,” Granger said.
Source - http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....ions-on-back-burner/
